Another Bush nominee finds the going tough

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

NEW YORK, JAN. 12. Even as the Republican President-elect, Mr. George W. Bush gives the final touches to his Cabinet, some Democratic lawmakers and liberal groups are gearing for a battle over the nomination of Mr. John Ashcroft to the post of Attorney- General. The anti-Ashcroft group may be encouraged by the manner in which Mr. Bush's pick for the Labour Secretary withdrew her name. Ms. Linda Chavez had indicated lack of support from the Bush transition team as a reason for her dropping out.

The good news for Mr. Bush is that some of his nominees for Cabinet posts are having a relatively easy time in the Senate confirmation hearings. Mr. Don Evans for the post of Commerce Secretary had little trouble so did Mr. Rod Paige, an African- American, chosen to head the Education Department. And Mr. Donald Rumsfeld had a relatively easy time before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday. But even Mr. Rumsfeld was not spared - he was quizzed about a conversation some 30 years ago where some racist statements had been made by the former President, Mr. Richard Nixon.

But the real fight is yet to begin and all indications are that the incoming Bush team has a real battle over Mr. Ashcroft. The Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled two hearings starting next Tuesday and among the witnesses will be Mr. Ronnie White, an African-American State Supreme Court Judge who was opposed by Mr. Ashcroft for a nomination to the Federal Bench. Conservatives say that the opposition of Mr. Ashcroft has little to do with racism, rather that Justice White had a ``soft'' record on crime and with criminals.

If Senior Republican leaders in the Senate are confident that Mr. Ashcroft will come through successfully, others are not as sure. In fact, some are already saying that the battle over Mr. Ashcroft will be something like the one witnessed in 1987 over the nomination of Judge Robert Bork by the then President, Mr. Ronald Reagan, to the Supreme Court. The Liberals managed to scuttle it but the process was nasty.

Republican supporters of Mr. Ashcroft say that the opposition to the former Senator from Missouri is because of his pro-life views and that the Liberal groups have managed to get the ``opposition file'' from the campaign of Mr. Mel Carnahan to discredit Mr. Ashcroft. Mr. Carnahan, Governor of Missouri, was pitted opposite Mr. Ashcroft for the Senate seat when he died in an airplane crash. His name, however, stayed on the ballot and he won the election. His wife, Ms. Jean Carnahan has been appointed to the Senate for a two-year period. Ms. Carnahan has not said how she will vote on Mr. Ashcroft's nomination.

It is not just Democratic Senators who are opposed to the views of Mr. Ashcroft on abortion and gun control. Organised labour and civil rights activists are coming out in full strength against the former Republican Senator. Civil rights leaders and activists are warning Democratic Senators not to approve the nomination of Mr. Ashcroft based on Senate collegiality - with few exceptions Senators are not known to reject ``one of their own''. Senators are being reminded that Mr. Ashcroft is a candidate of the religious Right who not too long ago accepted an honorary degree from Bob Jones University, a place of higher learning that had opposed inter-racial dating on its campus.

``The fight against John Ashcroft is being waged entirely on ideological grounds by some people outside the United States Senate and that would be a new level of partisanship brought to Washington,'' a spokesman for Mr. Bush said. Republican lawmakers said the President-elect was a conservative and as such was entitled to have a cabinet of his choosing. In the last two days, conservative lawmakers have stepped up their campaign for Mr. Ashcroft, brushing aside the suggestion that as Attorney- General, the former Missouri Senator would be selective in enforcing laws. The Senate Majority Leader, Mr. Trent Lott dismissed as ``ridiculous'' the claims of some that Mr. Ashcroft would go easy on polluters, militia members and abortion clinic bombers.

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Section  : International
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